54 unidentified Palestinians buried in mass grave in Deir al-Balah
A tragic scene unfolded in Deir al-Balah on Thursday as 54 unidentified Palestinians were laid to rest in a mass grave. The bodies were handed over by 'Israel' as part of an exchange deal.
Images and videos showed large crowds of residents and medical teams attending the funeral prayer before the burial. The bodies, wrapped in Palestinian flags, were marked with numbers instead of names, which is an agonizing sign of the ongoing struggle to identify them.
The issue of withheld bodies and unidentified martyrs remains one of the most painful humanitarian concerns in Gaza. This latest handover marks a step in implementing the recent agreement between the parties.
No official details were released about how long the bodies were held or the circumstances of their deaths, further complicating identification efforts.
Medical sources in Gaza said that authorities, including the Ministry of Health and forensic experts, typically collect DNA samples before burial.
These genetic records are preserved in hopes of matching them later with samples from the families of missing persons, in an effort to confirm identities, notify relatives, and bring closure to hundreds of waiting families across the Strip.
